


We may slip (but we'll have each other to get back up)

by Marsupeler



Series: Tiny Supreme Family [10]
Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: Age Regression/De-Aging, De-Aged!Tony Stark, De-aged!Peter Parker, De-aged!Stephen Strange, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Mental Regression, Sad and Sweet, Stephen Strange Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Stephen comforts, Supreme Family, peter is scared
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-24
Updated: 2018-12-24
Packaged: 2019-09-26 00:03:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,268
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17131223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marsupeler/pseuds/Marsupeler
Summary: Stephen can't keep this on the back burner anymore, and stirs the pot of thoughts he doesn't want to think about.





	We may slip (but we'll have each other to get back up)

**Author's Note:**

> It's short, but I needed to get this out of my system to go on with more things.

Stephen looked down at Peter as he scribbled in his sketchbook, tongue sticking out in concentration as a red crayon was fisted, being dragged across the page with clumsy, unconscious force. Stephen had walked into the common room to find Peter like this, no one else around. It has almost been a year since the snap, nine months to be exact. Three months since the Rogues have arrived.

Tony was in his bed, sleeping off a few nights where he forwent said action. Stephen had just gotten back from a Sorcerer Supreme mission. And Peter was here, alone, scribbling what looked like a family portrait. Except it wasn't up to Peter's usual skills in art. The kid was no Picasso, but he wasn't too bad. The thing was just above stick-figures, and only the color scheme and slight mediocre detail clued Stephen into who was who. He watched in concern, worried for many reasons.

Stephen waited by the door, not making his presences known. He watched as the time ticked away until Peter seemed to come back to his usual state of mind. He looked down at the sketch book, his body tensing. He snapped the booklet closed, shoving the crayons away from him in disgust. Stephen could see tears forming in his eyes. Stephen decided to make his approach.

"Hey, it's okay, Peter." Stephen said, scooping the boy up, who flinched away, looking at Stephen with wide eyes.

"O-of course it's okay. Wh-why would you think it wasn't? E-everything i-is fine." Peter lied.

"You're still a terrible liar, Pete." Stephen said, sitting on the couch, holding the child close to him. His cloak wrapped itself around them both in comfort. "Tell me what's wrong, sweetie." Peter tried to protest, but with a look from Stephen, he knew the wizard had seen what had happened.

"I-it just happens s-sometimes. I'll be norm-mal, and then- and then, I'll... I'll blink a-and I'll be doin' b-b-ba-baby things. I don't e-e-ven know I'm d-doin' i-it." Peter grew more hysteric as he went on. He tried to take deep breathes to calm himself, but it wasn't working. His lungs and heart started to hurt. Stephen started to rub his chest in comfort, helping open up the air ways and calm the child down.

"Shh, it's okay." Stephen let one of his hands reach out and grab the sketch book. He flipped through the pages. Peter has only had the thing since Christmas, so for about two months. Most of it was filled with equations, diagrams, ideas, normal teen-aged Peter things. But every once in a while there would be a scribble drawing. Most of it was the 'my family' things kids did. There was Havoc the cat in a few of them. And a few with Bruce and the other Avengers. Bucky had his own page with 'COOL ROBOT ARM' written in messy handwriting pointing to a grey blob attached to a human-ish blob with long black 'hair'.

Speaking of Havoc, the animal had crawled under the cloak and into it's owner's arms, appearing out of nowhere. Honestly, Stephen was pretty sure the cat was more than just a stray. It was too intellectual than that. It stuck by Peter too much for that. Stephen was pretty sure he had seen the cat standing on it's hind legs and drink coffee at four in the morning one time, giving him a wink before vanishing into the air. Though it was only after spending the whole night awake with Tony. It was on accident, Stephen had went down to the lab to bring the man to bed, but they ended up talking for too long, the hours just speeding by until they both were stumbling, barely able to see in front of their noses.

That wasn't the problem at hand though.

"It's okay, Petey." Stephen reassured once more. "It's not dangerous. It's like your emotions, you're body and brain are too small for all that information and stimulus, so they take control every once in a while to expel some tension and get relief."

"B-but I ca-can't remember an-anyone, b-but y-you an' daddy." Peter's voice wavered and stuttered as he clutched onto Stephen's chest. He must be really stressed about this. He only called Tony 'daddy' at these times. Either calling him 'Tony' or just a normal 'dad' any other time. Stephen ran his fingers through Peter's hair, trying to think of something that would ease the child's mind. But his own heart gave a stutter.

"That's all you need to remember, Sweetheart. I know it's scary, but as long as you know who daddy and I are, then you'll be just fine." Stephen promised.

"B-but what i-if it happens to you guys? What if you forget about me?" Peter whimpered.

"We won't, I promise." Stephen said.

"But how do you know?" Peter sniffled. Stephen bit his lip, not wanting his own fears to be out in the open. But if it would comfort Peter, then he must.

"Because me and your dad have been dealing with the same thing. Maybe not as long as you have, or as much. But there are times when I can't remember where I am. I'll just stare at people, knowing I know them, but never knowing how or why. And then Tony will come, and I know him, and know everything will be just fine. And then I snap out of it. And it's scary." Stephen admitted. "Or if I see you." Peter nodded in understanding, playing with Havoc's ears. The cat didn't move away, allowing Peter to play with it. Stephen didn't want to think about how the cat glanced up at him with a look that seemed to say 'what are you going to do'.

"Do you think Tony experiences the same thing?" Peter asked after a while of calming silence.

"Yeah. I've seen him ask FRIDAY who she was a few times, only to turn around and excitedly talk to me about it. As if he couldn't remember that he can program an AI in his sleep." Stephen huffed, and Peter let out a soft chuckle, which turned wet towards the end.

"What if I turn into a kid and can't come back?" Peter asked.

"Then we'll love you just the same." Stephen pressed a kiss to Peter's forehead. "And if Tony and I revert to our ages and can't come back. Well, we remember each other with these slips, so we'll remember each other then too, and we'll be a family. And everything will work out in the end."

Stephen had never been one to be optimistic. Choosing to know what happens, expect the worst and prepare for it as well. But if just this once he clung to this little hope. Just this once he prayed to a god he didn't believe in, that he, Tony, and Peter would have each other if the worst came true. He'd let himself have it. The flicker of darker thoughts and scenarios flickering in all their minds, just looming over each slip of the mind.

"How can you be sure?" Peter asked, large brown eyes looking at Stephen as if had all the answers.

"Because scientifically, the only constant between all of our slips is that we remember each other. So it must mean that we will always remember." Stephen was a doctor, but even he took science classes. And he spent enough time with Tony know know this is basically what science was founded on. So it was sound. Peter seemed to agree as his tense body finally relaxed fully into his arms.

**Author's Note:**

> I think the next story will include Bucky, Sam, and Peter.
> 
> As always I will love ideas from you guys.
> 
> Also like drop down some iconic memes you want Tony and/or Peter/Shuri to start referencing. Like fill up the comment section, go crazy!


End file.
